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Jestine's Kitchen, Charleston, South Carolina

Concierge.com's insider take:

Everything's cheap, hearty, and fried at this funky blue-plate café decked out with vintage kitchen utensils and featuring old-timey jazz music. Comfort food is concocted from family recipes handed down to its founder, Dana Berlin, by Jestine Matthews, the woman who cared for her family. Jestine's artery-clogging fare didn't hamper her healthshe passed away at the age of 112 in 1997. Popular items include signature fried green tomatoes, a slab of meatloaf, and pecan-fried whiting; almost everything comes with a side of fried okra. The Coca-Cola Cake is a must. Get there early for dinner; Jestine's doesn't take reservations and the line forms at 5 p.m.